Douglas Niven - The Development of Housing in Scotland

Social and economic conditions altered rapidly and dramatically in Scotland during the nineteenth century. The Industrial Revolution came early to the country; the pace and rate of change was faster, cruder and more concentrated over a smaller area than in England. Inadequate provision was made for housing expanding populations in newly created industrial areas; gross overcrowding was the sickening by-product of successful industrial expansion in Victorian Scotland. Acute social problems were created during this period which still cast a blight on Scottish life in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Other factors, apart from the effects of the Industrial Revolution, have had considerable bearing on the condition and nature of Scottish housing, and these must not be overlooked in any historical summary of housing in Scotland.

Agriculture still formed the basis of the Scottish economy at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Nearly three quarters of the population, which at that time was about a million people, gained their livelihood directly from the land, following methods of cultivation favoured since medieval times. Antiquated farming techniques, agricultural blight and a wholly unreliable climate led to recurring crop failures creating a fear of famine in many rural communities throughout Scotland.

During the previous century prolonged periods of political and religious strife had also created distress and uncertainty throughout the countryside. In these trying circumstances there was little incentive for country people to build substantial or permanent dwellings and this was reflected in the farmtoun settlements, which were scattered around the countryside at the turn of the century. Houses within these settlements were described by a contemporary historian as crudely constructed shelters of dry stone walling, built without mortar, with branches or rough spars for the roof and proofed against the elements with straw and turf. The floors of the buildings were often bare earth, the windows were small, with little or no glazing and many had no chimney or proper fireplace. A typical settlement consisted of six or more such dwellings, each having its own kailyard, stackyard and midden; these were set in no particular order or pattern upon a treeless landscape. The surrounding land was divided into run-rig or narrow strip fields and ground was set aside for common grazing.

Ownership of the land in Scotland had largely passed into Norman hands by the middle of the twelfth century; Normans found favour with Malcolm Canmore and also David I. Apart from owning most of the land, Normans held many of the chief offices in church and state. A Norman aristocracy was established, and rapidly introduced Norman habits, ideas and culture into Scotland. As a result, the old Scottish feudal system, which moderated the possession of land by ancient bonds of kinship and tribalism, was superseded by Norman feudalism which embodied a much more rigid form of land tenure. Under this system all land was held by the king; all occupiers of land became tenants of a lord, who in turn was a tenant of the king. The lords tenancy was hereditary; the extent of a mans tenancy also determined his civil and political rights. The precedents created by this ancient feudal code, particularly in respect of land and property, still exert a strong influence on Scottish affairs; ownership of land is critical in all forms of development now, as it was when the pattern of land ownership was first established by the heirs of Malcolm Canmore. The creation of a feudal system based on the Anglo-Norman code, together with the imposition of strong government and the reform of the existing church enabled David I to form a nation from many groups of disunited peoples throughout Scotland.

The king was also responsible for the formation of new townships in the countryside. These early essays in town planning were instituted to preserve the power of the crown, to promote social stability and to create points of economic expansion. Townships, created by royal decree, became known as Royal Burghs to distinguish them from the later creations of the Lords of Scotland, which were simply known as Burghs of Barony. In the Royal Burghs, people were encouraged to establish settlements beside existing or newly formed fortifications. In return, they were granted privileges, which included the special right to trade abroad. The burghs also enjoyed considerable autonomy and even extended their controlling influences into the surrounding countryside.

By the end of the twelfth century more than twelve Royal Burghs had been created. The Burghs of Ayr, Aberdeen, Dumfries, Inverness, Perth, were all formed at strategic crossing-points to large rivers. Edinburgh, St Andrews and Stirling were enlarged from existing townships which had been associated with ancient castles. Forres and Elgin in the north, Linlithgow in Lothian, Lanark in Clydesdale and Jedburgh and Peebles in the Borders were constructed beside newly formed defensive strong-points.